Fall Stripers
- Thread starter Fredrick
- Start date
Caught a 33” striper in the surf at Strathmere, NJ a week ago around 6:45 AM. Used an all black 5” Bomber stick bait. Lots of mullet, silversides, and peanut bunker running along and within 20 ft of the beach. The fish hit right against shore in the wash. The take was visible…and then the fish headed for Europe on its first of two major runs followed by two minor runs.
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tomgamber
Well-known member
Oh, stripers! I always fall for that. 😎
Wild_Trouter
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- Jan 30, 2014
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- 848
Mike....What is/was your setup for tossing stick baits? I'm going to be doing the same in a few weeks down in DE.
A 40 Series (also called 4000 series) spinning reel, gear ratio 4.5:1, 17 lb mono, 7 ft medium heavy rod rated for 10-20 lb line and 0.5-1.5 oz lures. In late Sept and very early Oct I have exclusively had the hits very close to the beach despite casting longer distances. It seems as though the longer casts are almost a waste of time for the most part when migrating baitfish, such as peanut bunker and mullet, are running close to the shoreline within about a 30 ft band along shore. Just my impression, but as a result I don’t think there is a need at that specific time of the year for the 9’ and up rods that are in vogue for longer casts. It’s a different situation later in fall when larger bunker, sand eels, and sea herring are often farther off shore frustrating the heck out of surf casters.
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Striperbobby
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What body of water were you on? What was the tide doing?
rancid waders
Active member
If anyone has any Intel on Brigantine, if you don't want to post pm me. Fall striper is on my list. I will be on foot on the north end
Wow!! Stripers chasing bait in the wash is a dream for Saltwater fly-fishers. It doesn't happen that often, or at least happen right in front of you while fly-fishing.
You literally "missed the boat" by spin fishing, Mike😉
So true this specific time. Conditions were perfect…foggy and no noticeable wind from any direction. That doesn’t happen often. I don’t have the salt fly gear anyway and the fly anglers that I have occasionally seen in the general area usually fish under a bridge at night, not out in the surf.
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rancid waders
Active member
This morning found me in NJ. Caught a flounder as a consolation, I remain striperless
Nymph-wristed
Well-known member
Sadly, the fall run has mostly become early winter blitz chasing. Check the water temps at the nearshore buoys and it's no surprise. Even resident bass may not be frequenting the warm surf yet.
Your odds are much better in Ocean County and points north in December if the weather holds (no early winter storms). The potential is higher on Monmouth County beaches in late October and November. Personally, because I am driving a minimum of 90 minutes most of the time, I don't get serious until close to Thanksgiving some years and then cash in all that PTO time while the good times last 👍
Lance
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- Apr 22, 2009
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- 51
I'll be tying at the International Fly Tying Symposium in NJ mid november. I missed the boat on trying for them when I was there last year. Hoping to luck into them this trip. Figure on trying to fish that Monday morning after the show. If I don't hit the stripers what else might I get at that time of the year off the surf or jetties?
Nymph-wristed
Well-known member
Stripers Forever calling for a moratorium on bass. A couple good year classes in there (the ones we've been catching the last few years) but not much spawning success behind them. I guess the hope is to give those good year classes a chance to rebuild the stocks.
rancid waders
Active member
Thanks for the scoop, I haven't salt fished in 30 years since moving back north. I was a speckled trout and red addict during my time in coastal nc, now trying to put the striper puzzle together.
bringthepain
Well-known member
With this big blow and drop in temp currently happening i would be very surprised if the big girls didnt show up out front in Belmar, Point Pleasant, etc this week. I'd expect things to pick up real quick real soon
bringthepain
Well-known member
Stripers Forever calling for a moratorium on bass. A couple good year classes in there (the ones we've been catching the last few years) but not much spawning success behind them. I guess the hope is to give those good year classes a chance to rebuild the stocks.
I wouldnt have an issue with this at all. We havent kept any fishing the fall run the last couple years because on the front end of the run they are all over the size limit. I'd love to see some better and more careful fish handling skills from some of these charters though. I'm of the opinion that they should be handled like trout, kept wet, not bear hugged for pics and tossed back over the side. Especially the big girls. Net them, keep them in the water, unhook and let swim out of the net. Just because they are huge doesnt make them any less vulnerable to poor handling than smaller fish
bringthepain
Well-known member
The big girls were on the bunker yesterday morning in front of point pleasant, belmar, etc. Here we gooooo!!!
